Interview with dj\sommelier John Penate aka John Pabulum!!!

• Hi John, now that you’ve been introduced, tell me how your passion for wine and becoming a sommelier was ignited?

I ignited my passion for wine when I tasted my first Pinot Noir from Bourgogne. Sure, I drank wine but nothing ever stood out until then. I arrived to Italy and discovered that there was more to the wine world than Merlots, Sauvignons, Shiraz and Pinots. I think it was seeing and tasting wines such as Bardolino, Marzemino, Sagrantino, etc. .. that sparked the interest to learn more about the Italian wine world. With that came the idea that I should help visitors to Italy enjoy the most unique places of the boot to experience. After all, the road less travelled has the best wines!

• Best vintage for wine and for house music(deep, tech, soulful, acid, garage, etc)??

Every grape and area of the world is unique but it is true that 2004 was generally a good year, especially in Italy.
I started “raving” back in 1992 and have experienced the various mutations of techno and house. I have always been a “trackhead” so for me the best years were ’94 / ‘95.

• What is the wine and dj/producer that you recommend at this moment?
  • White: “La Masa” Inzolia Sicilia IGT by Castel Lucci Miano.
  • Red: “Consilium“ Cesanese Olevano Romano DOC by Migrante.
  • Dj: Miles Maeda.
  • Producer: Dave Pezzner.

• Favorite winery and label?
  • “Paradiso di Frassina” for their amazing territory and for the fact that they play Mozart to the vines. They are sponsored by Bose and (besides Brunello) make a harmonious blend of 6 Italian grapes and 6 French grapes called “12 Uve”.
  • Relief Records and Cajual Records. .. 13 years ago. Today, I find myself liking releases from Bump Music and Classic Music.

• Favorite Dj and wine?

-   Derrick Carter. He has always made me want to dance with his blend of Chicago Techno, Acid House, Latino, R&B and Jazz.
-   They say that a Sommelier’s favourite should be a Bourgogne’s Pinot Noir but this is usually the choice from the “big names” of Australian Shiraz, Bordeaux (Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon) and the American versions. I love the Sangiovese grape. It is more finicky than people think, especially when it comes to aging it. It is done in many ways but the area of Montalcino is best. A correctly aged Brunello is amazing but I have to name one bottle then it is the complex “12 Uve” by Paradiso di Frassina in Montalcino (mentioned before).

• Do you prefer Italian or French wine? Why?

Italian.
Italy's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MIRAF) has granted over 350 grapes "authorized" status yet there are more than 500 other documented varieties in circulation!! (I dare you to try to name a dozen grapes that are grown around the world.) Out of this comes the winemaker’s expression of the territory and their love for it. It goes beyond the love for the grape. Wine becomes a true expression of what we call Terroir, more so than any other country, especially with wines that cannot be grown anywhere else in the world. Not because of any legal reason but simply because the results are nowhere near as good.

• Do you prefer the house/techno scene in America or Europe? Why?

I really love how emotional people get about experimental music in the U.S.
I have not witnessed that here, in Italy, so much. It is mostly commercial that people want in Italy which allows them to not concentrate on the music. I like my music like I like my wine: surprising new interpretations that make you want to close your eyes so as to enjoy them so deeply that it makes you feel good and move you.

• What wine and song do you recommend for aperitivo?

Any Ribolla Gialla with Can’t Beat the House by Bruno Browning.

• What about bubbly for the dancefloor and for the holidays?

Franciacorta Satèn.

• In conclusion, gioco della torre: dj and wine that you would throw away and another that you would save?

Throw:
- Tavernello (or wine-in-a-box).
- Any dj that plays pre-mixed sets and/or plays the same songs in the same order every single time they “perform”.
Save:
- Tintore (Amalfi Coast). It survived the Phylloxera epidemic and is only made in the mountains of the Amalfi coast. Not much of a wine when you open the bottle. Let it sit for one day and it will not disappoint.
- Me.